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What if the same wind that powers a megaloop could also power an entire off-grid community or construction site? That is the idea behind Kitepower, a Dutch start-up using kites to generate clean electricity. The team is now inviting the global kitesurfing community to be part of their story, through a crowdfunding campaign on Fundernation.
Born from a research project at TU Delft, Kitepower is a leading developer of Airborne Wind Energy Systems. Kitepower’s innovative systems use large kites that autonomously fly at high altitudes—250 to 350 meters above the ground, and potentially even higher—where the wind is stronger and more consistent. These kites operate day and night, delivering renewable electricity even when other technologies can’t.
The company’s story is deeply connected to kitesurfing. The founders, along with most of Kitepower’s engineers, designers, and pilots, first fell in love with wind and flight through kitesurfing. The entire Operations team consists of former kitesurfing instructors, continuing a legacy that remains an intrinsic part of Kitepower’s DNA. As a result, a new class of jobs has emerged within the kite industry, enabling those who choose a kite-focused career to join the innovation and technology development shaping the future of wind energy.
To illustrate the scale of Kitepower’s technology: when a powered megaloop is thrown on a 10m kite, the pull forces can reach 200 to 400 kg on the lines. In comparison, the Kitepower Hawk system flies a soft, LEI 60m² kite with tether tension up to 5,000 kg—more than ten times the pull of even the wildest kite loop. These kites fly in continuous, automated figure-eight patterns, generating strong line pull that drives a winch at the ground station, which in turn spins a generator to produce electricity.
Kitepower’s system is designed to be simple, lightweight, efficient, and mobile. The goal is to reach the most remote locations on the planet and replace diesel generators along with the entire logistical chain required for fuel delivery.
The wing features a hybrid design, combining an inflatable structure with a fixed fiberglass skeleton to achieve an optimal balance of strength and low weight. The kites are engineered to withstand pulling forces exceeding 5,000 kg, while remaining lightweight and compact for easy storage when not in use.
The control pod manages the roll, pitch, and yaw of the kite, while also handling communications between the onboard sensor unit and the Ground Station. Acting as the eyes and arms of the system, it continuously adjusts the flight trajectory to maintain an optimal flight path and maximize energy yield.
An off-the-shelf Dyneema line is used to provide a lightweight yet extremely strong connection between the kite and the generator. It can withstand pulling forces of up to 20 tonnes and is highly resistant to UV exposure, water, and salty environments.
Housed in a 20ft container, it includes the winch, generator, and the drum with the tether as well as the communication link with the kite and kite control unit.
The Ground Station converts the kite’s mechanical energy into electrical power and uses the generator as a motor to reel the kite back in. Currently rated at 100 kW, the system is designed for easy transport on any conventional truck and can be shipped globally using standard container vessels.
When in operation, the kite is launched and flown in a crosswind pattern (figure-eights or downloops as kitesurfers call it), creating high line tension and unwinding the tether from the drum, spinning the generator to produce electricity. Once the tether reaches full length, the kite depowers by adjusting its pitch, flies to the zenith and starts the retraction phase with minimal energy, and the cycle repeats. It is similar to the workings of a yo-yo.
The result is a compact, plug-and-play system that can be deployed in one hour, no concrete foundations, massive towers or blades. It is ready to deliver clean power from high altitude winds wherever needed.
The world urgently needs more renewable energy, especially in remote or mobile settings—yet current technologies often fall short. Wind turbines are large, expensive, and frequently face local opposition due to their visual and environmental impact. Solar power, while clean, is limited by daylight, weather conditions, and its high land use.
Kitepower offers a breakthrough solution that overcomes these limitations, with several key advantages:
As Dieter Castelein, CEO of Greener Power Solutions (a Kitepower customer), puts it:
“Currently, there is no other renewable energy technology that is as mobile and generates as much energy on so little ground space as a Kitepower system.”
Kitepower’s Hawk system has already been deployed at multiple sites in Europe and the Caribbean, from construction projects to remote islands. Currently you can spot Kitepower’s systems in operation on the West Coast of Ireland at the dedicated Airborne Wind Energy R&D site and in the Netherlands at the customer that is building a dike along the river.
A typical unit produces one to five MWh per week, enough to run equipment, power site offices, charge electric vehicles or power an entire island community.
One of the most exciting collaborations have been with the United Nations World Food Program, RWE Renewables in Ireland, EU Horizon program and numerous technical universities in the Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, Denmark and Germany. The launching customer, Dura Vermeer, a major Dutch contractor, is using Kitepower to provide emission-free energy at a construction site for dike reinforcement, replacing diesel generators with kite energy.
Many kitesurfers are passionate about the environment, and intuitively understand the power of wind. Anyone who has flown a kite and felt the forces in the lines knows what tremendous forces the wind can unleash. Kitepower takes that force and scales it up, capturing the energy and turning it into power for people. The culture, the innovation, and the drive to use wind in new ways to generate renewable energy is at the core of the company.
Now, as Kitepower is on its accelerated path towards commercialization, it is opening the door to a broader community of investors — and kitesurfers are invited to be part of that journey.
Kitepower is currently raising funds to commercialize its Hawk system, advance the development of the larger Falcon system, expand its team, and accelerate the transition to renewable airborne wind energy. The next major milestone is the creation of the world’s first kite parks in Germany and Ireland, paving the way for future deployment of offshore kite parks.
Join the campaign today and own a piece of the future of kite wind energy. Visit the crowdfunding page here.
Whether you’re a hardcore big-air rider or a weekend cruiser, if you’re passionate about wind, kites, innovation, and the planet, this is your chance to support something truly inspiring and game-changing.
If you’re a kitesurfer, be sure to mention it when you invest—we’ll give you the opportunity to witness the system in action firsthand. It’s a mesmerizing experience you won’t want to miss.
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